Dear Engaged Bystander: When I read a study that says by "asking about pregnancy coercion and intimate-partner violence can reduce their incidence" I have to sit up and take notice. Below is a brief overview of this recently released study.

Dear Engaged Bystander: Two seemingly unrelated facts about me: I am a huge fan of primary prevention. And I am a Yelp-er. I rely on the consumer-review website for guidance about the best tailor in my neighborhood to where I can unfailingly find delicious ravioli or patio dining.

Dear Engaged Bystander: Yesterday and today are days to celebrate Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. It is usually a time for contemplation -- looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning for changes to make in the New Year. In celebrating this holiday, I like to also think about what was good about the past year and to think about what to bring into my life (our lives) for the future.

Dear Engaged Bystander: If you are like me, you have a stack of research papers you have been meaning to read all summer. I wanted to create a short series of my favorite research articles to share with you and I hope to keep them all to under 500 words.

So this is the first in a series of reviews of key research. I hope you find them helpful.

Dear Engaged Bystander: When I go on our summer family vacations, I do try to leave my work behind. I also try to stay unplugged from the phone, the Internet, and any other form of "work." Yet it never really happens that way...

Dear Engaged Bystander: Another workshop idea… In a recent workshop for women, someone asked man excellent question. “We work with so many different cultures and customs, how can we tell someone when and how to intervene?” The group was silent, and I felt a sense of hopelessness in the room – how complex this issue really is, how many different situations we hardly address, and so much more.

Dear Engaged Bystander: When I have the chance to lead a workshop, I am always struck by the strong social expectation that we all seem to hold -- when faced with a crisis, no one will step out of their comfort zone to offer help.

Dear Engaged Bystander: The Merriam Webster definition of a bystander is: “one present, but not taking part in a situation or event: a chance spectator.” When I read this definition, it implies that we can watch an event and not be affected by it. Even the term, “bystander apathy” implies that people can watch and then choose not act because they don’t care. I believe that people care deeply stopping sexual violence and are deeply affected by what they see -- even if they choose not to act.

Dear Engaged Bystander: Do you ever read a news story or editorial and find you keep thinking about it? Well, on July 17th I read an editorial in the NY Times titled Tone Deaf in Rome. Like the editorial, I was appalled by the news conference held at the Vatican which described the movement for the ordination of women as a “grave crime” that Rome deems as offensive as the scandal of priests who sexually assault children."

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